Prenylation Mechanisms and Developmental Function

Mark Paul RunningNSF提案编号IOS-0744895标题：预基化机制和发育功能高等动植物由大量细胞组成，所有这些细胞都是专门执行特定功能的。每个细胞都必须有适当的组织；例如，蛋白质必须位于细胞的正确部分。蛋白质在细胞中的错误定位可能会产生无数的后果，包括癌症和其他疾病的发展。动植物将蛋白质定向到细胞中特定位置的一种方法是附着脂肪(脂)分子，这会改变蛋白质的化学性质，并经常导致这种蛋白质与细胞外围(外环)的联系。这个项目旨在增加我们对蛋白质被脂质修饰的过程的理解，以及这种修饰如何影响这些蛋白质的功能和定位。这些研究对人类的癌症、Hutchinson-Gilford早衰症、Hermansky-Pudlak综合征和脉络膜血症的治疗具有潜在的意义，并赋予植物抗旱性和抗病能力。植物被用作这些研究的模型，因为在脂质修饰方面存在重大缺陷的植物具有生存能力，并且它们在实验室中易于使用。该项目包括科学界代表性不足的群体成员的参与和培训，这些群体是在全国各地的外联工作中被成功招募的。该项目还为当地高中科学课程的课程开发奠定了基础，并将纳入圣路易斯科学中心的展览，用于教育宣传。

Dr. Mark Paul RunningNSF Proposal Number IOS-0744895Title: Prenylation Mechanisms and Developmental FunctionAbstract Higher animals and plants are made up of a multitude of cells, all of which are specialized to carry out particular functions. Each cell must be organized properly; for instance, proteins must be located in the correct part of the cell. Mislocalization of proteins in cells can have myriad consequences, including development of cancer and other diseases. One method animals and plants use to direct proteins to specific places in the cell is the attachment of a fat (lipid) molecule, which changes the chemical properties of the protein and often leads to the association of this protein to the periphery (outer rim) of the cell. This project aims to increase our understanding of the processes by which proteins become modified by lipids, and how this modification affects the function and localization of these proteins. These studies have potential implications for treatment of cancer, Hutchinson-Gilford progeria, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, and choroideremia in humans, and conferring drought tolerance and disease resistance in plants. Plants are used as a model for these studies, due to the survivability of plants with major defects in lipid modifications and their ease of use in the laboratory. This project includes participation by, and training for, members of groups that are underrepresented in science, who were successfully recruited in outreach efforts across the country. This project also forms the basis of curriculum development for local high school science courses and will be integrated into a display at the Saint Louis Science Center for educational outreach.